The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-04-08
covRTsH,p IN MEXICO.


- Woo the Fair seaorftas.
| Mexican ladies seldom go out with
out some one of the family or a ser.
want. They do not have gentlemen
visitors. There is no chance for gal
liant youth to burn the midnight oil or
gas at his prospective father-in-law's
expense. If a young man has been
acquainted with girl from childhood.
or by some accident is allowed to visit
the family and becomes lover, he is
Immediately forbidden the house. and
must continue his counting as best he
can. 1t is then the balcony is of SER
vice. Asignal is agreed upon. and the
senorita with ears alert hears it, and
appears upon the balcony and con-
verses with her lover below in tho
street. Notes are secretly exchanged,
but never through the mail. To give
you an idea of Mexican courtship and
how Cupid breaks down the barriers
made by ignorance and superstition. L
will'explain what is here termed 'play-
ing the bear" This is very populs,r
game-at least it seems so among the
Mexicans. 1t is played by two per-
\ sons. a lady and a gentleman. Both
are usually young-ii their teens as it
were-though there are instances of
the game being played by couples who
had passed that period by several
years.
A young man becomes smitter with
a fair charmer at the opera Or at
church. He follows the lady to her
home. Having that located. he makes
it his business to be in that neighbOr-
hood rs much as possible. He will
stroll by the house with his eyes ex-
pressive of the state of his heart. and if
he should catch a glimpse of his fair
one he is happy. If he receives smile
he becomes intoxicated with love and
is ready to play the "bear" for an in
definite period of time. If the lady is
seated on the balcony when Romeo
arrives upon the scene she usually
withdraws, after exchanging glances
with him. This programme is kept up
for months At last he receives a smile
from fair Juliet. From smiles they get
| to exchanging few words. There have
been actual cases where the bear has
frolicked about for year or two be-
fore he tickle maid would exchange O
word with him. Very often there arc
two or three bears casting longing eyes
in the same direction. This frequently
causes bad blood. As soon as the cOu-
pie begin to know each others voices
matters progress rapidly. After they
arrive at an understanding the perse-
vering lover hastens to the padre. The
kind priest finding that there is no rea-
son for objection on either side. pro-
ceeds to interccde with the girls pa
rents and gain him admission to the
domicile of his lady love. As soon rs
young man enters the house he il
considered engaged to the daughter. A
wedding quickly follows. and there is
no more ''playing the bear" 50 far a.
that young man is concerned.
A great deal depends on the girl in
this game. She can make it long or
short game. There has been case
brought to my notice of young man
who has never missed an evening for
nearly three years. and he is still only
in the first stage of the game, posing or
walking u, and down in front of the
senorita's home hoping to receive a
smile. Close observers say that, so far.
she only condcscends to let him seq the
least bit of her white dress through the
half-clOsed French windows that open
On the balcony. He was asked why he
played the bear SO long when he met
with so little encouragement. His re-
ply was:
.Oh. Hove her so dearly! And she is
so rich!" passed by house a few
evenings since and saw lover stand
ing in the shadow of friendly door
way. He had a guitar. moved i'm
the shadow to see the by-play. AS the
soft notes broke the quietude of the
evening I saw window open in .
house adjoining and senorita step out
on the balcony. The music continued
for few moments and then ceased.
/ saw the fair ore drop something over
the balcony. The lover caught it aud
retired into the shadow again. Istroll-
ed up the street, crossed over. and
went toward them. saw he was
holding something to his ear, and I
knew telephone communications was
perfect between these two loving hearts
There is no such thing as being in
troduccd. even though he lover be &C
companied by relation. Should the
parties meet on the promenade and the
relative desires to speak with his fair
relative he excuses himself and joins
her, leaving the lover out in the cold.
rs it were. until he gains admittance to
her parents house through the inter-
cession of the priest. If while walking
in the Alameda or ZocOlO he meets the
object of his affections he keeps at . 10
spectful distance. hoping that his pres
cnce may be noticed by her. II while
riding he sees her in q carriage, he
places himself as near as possible and
feels rewarded for his trouble if he
catch glimpse of her face at each
turning or receives a sly glance OF
recognition. An engagement broken
in Mexico is considered serious mat
ter. The lady is looked upon as dis
graced and seldom has another sutton.
San Francisco Chronicle.
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Be Sure to Beware Of